Since so many applicants apply to
business school because they wish to pursue a popular
MBA career path such as
management consulting, investment banking, or venture
capital, we decided it only made sense to add a section
to our books review on these jobs. While we readily acknowledge
that many MBAs pursue careers paths in Fortune 500s and
small start ups, the following three professions tend
to attract the most interest and questions.
Management Consulting
Investment Banking
Venture Capital
The McKinsey Way by Ethan M. Raisel
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If you are looking for insight into
McKinsey & Company,
this is an excellent book. McKinsey is widely considered
the most prestigious management consulting firm in the
world and for good reason. (Just look at the numerous
boutique firms that boast their staff consists of ex
McKinsey consultants.) Their approach to identifying
problems and selling solutions to their clients are covered
with remarkable clarity. It certainly would not hurt
you to be familiar with this book should you interview
with McKinsey.
Case In Point: Complete Case Interview Preparation by
Marc P. Cosentino
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Our MBA alumni clients tell us this is the
best book out there for mastering the case study
interview styles used by the consulting firms. The
author's use of humor is expertly employed to help
demystify the recruiting process for consultant
hopefuls.
Management Consulting: A Complete
Guide to the Industry by
Sugata Biswas and Daryl Twitchell
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This guide contains several case interview questions
as well as sample answers. This is a good way to aid
your preparation for the consulting interviews you will
be facing just a few short months into your business
school career.
Investment Banking Explained: An Insider's Guide to the Industry by Michel Fleuriet
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Written by a Wharton professor and
accomplished investment banker, Investment Banking
Explained breaks down the structures and strategies of
modern investment banks. This is a great resource if you
are considering a career in this crucial and highly
lucrative industry.
An Introduction to Investment Banks, Hedge Funds, and Private Equity: The New Paradigm by
David Stowell
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At 592 pages, this book is not light
reading for a plane ride. It does, however, contain timely and relevant information for
ambitious students considering careers in investment banking, hedge funds and
private equity. We particularly like the cases that are
wrapped into the chapters and how the author so actively
encourages the reader to think about how they may have
done things differently.
The Masters of Private Equity and Venture Capital by Robert Finkel and David Greising
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Prism Capital president and founder,
Robert Finkel, provides first-hand accounts of how he
selects and transforms his portfolio companies. In
addition to the colorful accounts, a lot of insight is
provided into collaborating with management, developing
new markets and how these principles are applied to the
non profit sector.
Mastering the VC Game by Jeffrey Bussgang
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This very interesting book is written for
the entrepreneur who wants to raise capital. However, we
believe it can be just as beneficial for aspiring
venture capitalists who are looking to learn more about
the industry. After all, how successful do you think you
can be if you don't understand your clients?
Angel Investing: Matching Startup
Funds with Startup Companies by Robert
J. Robinson and Mark Van Osnabrugge
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Robinson, a management consultant, and
Van Osnabrugge, an associate professor at Harvard Business
School use personal interviews, anecdotal evidence,
and more than 300 research studies to provide an insightful
look into angel investors who, as the book deftly states,
provide many times more capital than the better-known
venture capitalists. If you are curious to learn more
about angel investors, this is your book.
Done Deals: Venture Capitalists Tell
Their Stories by Udajan Gupta (editor)
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This book contains 35 personal accounts
told from the first person perspective of investments
in such start
ups as Excite, Genentech, Intel and 3Com. While this
blend of now relatively old accounts provides a good
insight into how the venture capitalists evolved, there
is a much bigger focus on the deals' returns than why
the deals were funded. Consequently, our alumni clients
continue to tell us they consider this relatively
'timeless.'
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